Public to view plan to consolidate student services into one location

Santa Monica College (SMC) is scheduled to hold a community presentation Thursday, January 3rd, showcasing its proposed Student Services Replacement, Bookstore Modernization, and Pico Improvements Project.

The project is designed to consolidate various student services currently scattered throughout the main campus, beautify the Pico Boulevard frontage, and provide an important connection between the Santa Monica community and its college, SMC officials said.

The presentation is scheduled at 7 p.m. January 3rd, in Room 123 of SMC’s Bundy Campus, 3171 Bundy Drive, Los Angeles. The project implements the final phase of SMC’s Facilities Master Plan, adopted in 1998 with community-wide input.

In addition to the replacement building, the project includes an entry plaza, below-grade parking, the relocation of the campus bookstore to Drescher Hall, Pico promenade improvements and landscaping, and a proposed public transit bus pull-out.

The Student Services Replacement Building is planned to become a significant campus destination, SMC officials said. It replaces facilities that, due to their age and condition, do not provide the amenities required for today’s activities, according to the college. The convergence of all major student services into one location will improve the outreach and access of all services available to SMC students while providing an efficiency of common shared spaces, officials said.

In addition, the college intends to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification for the project.

A new three-level subterranean parking structure for approximately 500 cars would underlie the building, replacing campus surface parking along Pico Boulevard and restoring campus parking to pre-earthquake levels. Amenities would include a parking information station, vehicular drive and passenger drop-off, and a parking concourse connection to the street level.

With the input of Big Blue Bus, a separate project has been identified proposing to consolidate two bus stops along Pico to one stop. A parallel loading space that could accommodate bus pull-out with ample transition space is part of this proposed project. This would also help reduce traffic congestion along Pico Boulevard, college officials said.

The project provides for campus landscaping along the entire northern edge of the main campus, along Pico Boulevard from 16th Street east to the campus boundary.

The project requires the demolition of a number of buildings on the main campus and will result in an overall net decrease of 5,119 assignable square feet of building area and a net reduction of 178 classroom seats.

Demolition and construction are planned to begin at the end of next year and be completed in 2012.